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The camp came to life with a jump; men rolled out from under their blankets, siezed their guns and sprang from the tents, into the corral, thinking an Indian att attack was imminent. They shivered from the cool and from their nerves. Torches were lighted, tent stakes driven more securely; canvas wagon-tops were roped to the bodies. The thunder which had been subded like the a ball rolling down a blowling alley became sharp as like the ball when it makes a strike; it grew loud, heavy, and cracked like the sky Clarles looked at his watch. There were but twenty four seconds between the lightening and the resultant thunder; the lightening was five miles distant. It became more blinding, the thunder more intense. The whole western sky was alight; it was a great mass of black rolling, churning squall clouds, which raced with unbelievable swiftness toward the encampment. The breeze which had ceased for a spell, to gather breath and strength, now veered to the north west. At first it was gentle, cool, and refreshing, thenit was a puff and came in capful, boyantly and half joyfully, then angrily; it became a cold, wild, howling fury; it whistled throug the wagons and the trees; it moaned, and groaned, and roared withalmost hurricae force the wind was the vanguard. A prairie storm is a terrifying thing. The lightening was blinding, the thunder deafening; the willos beside the creek bent in long sweeping curves, leaves were torn from the trees, and branches of the cotton-woods snapped and fell. Torches which, but a few moments before, were seen moving about neighboring camps were extinguished. The rain struck; it came in horizontal sheets, all the broad world was shut out in the onrush; each raindrop was like the prick of a needle. THe mules turned tail to the storm; they stuck theit tail between their legs at half mast and their heads and their long ears drooped. The sotrm of wind and rain increased. Above, all was inky blackness